The electroencephalogram is used in brain-computer interface (BCI) in which signal from the human brain is sensed with the help of EEG and then sent to the computer to control the external device without having any touch of muscular body parts. On the other hand, the brain chip interfacing (BCHIs) is a microelectronic chip that has physical connections with the neurons for the transfer of information. The BCI needs a reliable, high-speed network and new security tool that can assist BCI technology. 5G network and blockchain technology is ideal to support the growing needs of brain chip interfacing. Further, the Cloudmind, which is an emerging application of BCI, can be conceptualized by using blockchain technology. In this chapter, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are expedient to bridge the connectivity chasm between human and machine (computer) systems via 5G technologies, which offers minimal latency, faster speeds, and stronger bandwidth connectivity with strong cryptographic qualities of blockchain technologies.
TopIntroduction
The brain-computer interface (BCI) is a technology that allows controlling the machines with the help of human brain signals. To control the external device, The BCI uses the following steps. (i) Collecting the brain signal. (ii) Compiling the signal into a machine-readable form. (iii) Controlling the machine according to the signal received from the human brain. The brain-computer interface is used in various medical applications such as in replacing the lost motor functionality of paralyzed patients, neurofeedback, rehabilitating the moving ability for physically locked-in patients. The main objective of BCI is to enable or restore the important functions of the patients affected by several neuromuscular disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, cerebral palsy. From the initial demonstration of the single neuron-based control system, the research community and the scientists are now able to control the complex movements of a robotic arm, wheelchair, cursor, prostheses, and other devices by using the electroencephalographic, intracortical, electrocorticographic, and other brain signals. Due to advancements in microelectronic technology and nanotechnology, the application of the microelectromechanical system (MEMS) and neural nanorobotics has been increased in recent years. Due to this massive advancement, the MEMS and nanorobotics have been now accepted and used by many neuroscientists for the recording of living neurons.
The brain chip interfacing is classified into three categories based on biological entities involved namely; neurons, tissue, and brain by Fromherz, P. (2003). In the first level of interfacing, the neurons are linked with the microelectrodes or electrolyte-oxide-semiconductor-capacitors. these microelectrodes measure and record the electrical signal of the neurons given by W.L. Rutten Annu (2002), Potter et al. (2006). The brainstorm project is a recent example of brain chip interfacing (BCHIs) in which tight electrical coupling between microchip and neurons is done with the help of a gold micro nail shaped microelectrode that is surrounded by neurons with the help of the phagocytosis like method by A. Hai et al. (2010). In the second level of interfacing, the concept of establishing the interaction between the brain tissues and microchip is used by placing a slice of tissues on the chip. Finally, in the third level of interfacing, the microchip is inserted into the human brain or in the other part such as the spinal cord or sensory organs with the help of surgery suggested by S. Girardi et al. (2010).
Further, the neural nanorobots may be used to interface the human brain with a computer cloud system. This is called Brain/Cloud interface. The nanoparticles are injected in the human brain through the vasculature in a proper clinical environment and after passing through the blood-brain-barrier, these nanorobots position themselves with the brain cells. Generally, the neocortex of the human brain is used as a gate by the neural nanorobots to communicate with external cloud supercomputer. As mentioned, the BCI or neural nanorobot communicates the brain signal to the external machine so that an appropriate task can be performed accordingly.
The transfer of the signals from the human brain to the machine or vice versa required high speed, wireless, and reliable network. Currently available wireless cellular network (4G LTE) is not capable of fulfilling the growing need for BCI applications. The currently available 4G network can provide speed up to 100 Mbits/sec and the reliability of the network is not that much good. There is a need for a new network interface which is reliable as well as offers high speed. 5G or Fifth generation cellular network can act as a leading wireless communication link between the human brain and external machine. The upcoming 5G technology has features that can support BCI technology. 5G network interface has high speed, high reliability and it is much more secure as compare to the 4G stated by Martins et al. (2019).